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Busy entrepreneurs and business leaders interact with a wide range of people through meetings, work trips, social engagements, and more. Not every connection is well suited for access to your personal or even business messages and phone lines. To help keep your business and personal interests separate in a way that best suits you, consider a virtual phone number.

During a special Memorial Day price drop that runs through 11:59 p.m. PT on May 31, you can get a Lifetime Virtual Number Subscription to a Hushed Private Phone Line for $19.99 (reg. $150). This included plan features a combination of 6,000 SMS or 1,000 phone minutes per year. And you can upgrade from there.

When setting up a Hushed Private phone number, you can choose from any of hundreds of area codes available across the United States and Canada. It enables you to manage all communication made with that number through the app, and you can customize it with things like your own voicemail, call-forwarding settings, and more. Best, Hushed can be used on Wi-Fi, so you can manage or even have a phone number without ever using any data or getting your own mobile data plan.

Hushed has an impressive rating of 4.6/5 stars on the App Store, while Tech Crunch called it “a viable, more lightweight alternative to something like Google Voice.”

Before it’s too late, get your Lifetime Virtual Number Subscription to a Hushed Private Phone Line for $19.99 (reg. $150) with code ENJOY 20 at checkout through 11:59 p.m. PT on May 31

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Growing businesses around the world rely on traveling salespeople and representatives to fuel expansion. For those in the accounting department who are trying to make enough room for airline ticket budgeting, you can do them a lot of favors by hooking up yourself or a team member with this special deal.

Through 11:59 p.m. PT on May 31, you can get a lifetime subscription to this OneAir Elite Plan for only $79.97 (reg. $790). This deal gets you indefinite access to OneAir’s deals on business, first, premium, and economy class flights to and from destinations of your choosing and interest. These deals include mistake fares and advantageously priced ones that happen to pop up.

OneAir’s platform uses artificial intelligence (AI) to scan the web around the clock for deals so that they are ready for your team when someone needs to hit the road. In addition to getting to choose up to 10 departure airports with deals, Elite users can also take advantage of OneAir’s one-on-one business and first-class planning support.

Conveniently, the OneAir Mobile App lets you access these deals, book trips, and complete bookings all in one place. It is available for both iOS and Android devices.

One recent user, Ashok, who saved $1,080 on flights using OneAir, wrote, “I am so pleased with my decision to sign up with OneAir! Just booked a super cheap flight deal to Vancouver along with 5 nights of hotel stays.”

Remember that only through 11:59 p.m. PT on May 31, you can get a lifetime subscription to this OneAir Elite Plan for only $79.97 (reg. $790).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

If you own an Apple TV, chances are you’ve grown tired and frustrated with the remote. Customers have lamented over the years that the Siri voice command remote can be distracting and downright diffuclt to use.

If this sounds like you then the Function101 Button Remote for Apple TV could be a quiet alternative that’s also on sale for Memorial Day. Instead of paying $29, you can get this button remote for Apple TV and Apple TV 4K for $23.97.

Make your Apple TV easier to use.

The Function101 Button Remote makes it easier to navigate your Apple TV. This simple remote features a traditional button layout, with options for controlling volume, navigating the menu, or standard media controls. That familiar design is an approachable alternative to voice commands that your customers and clients may appreciate.

Don’t worry about connecting to your TV. This remote uses Infrared (IR) technology to make connecting to your screen fast and easy. It also has a range up to 12 meters, so restaurant owners could control a TV without crossing the dining area. A quick start guide is included with your purchase along with a manufacturer’s one-year warranty.

Save on a new remote for your Apple TV.

Don’t miss your chance to replace your Siri remote with something a little more traditional.

You have until May 31 at 11:59 p.m. PT to get the Function101 Button Remote for Apple TV and Apple TV 4K. No coupon needed.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Erika Kullberg, an attorney with more than 21 million followers on social media, wants everyone to know how much social media sites really pay.

Kullberg regularly creates personal finance content for YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok and helps get people what they’re owed, like $1,000 if they’re bumped from a flight. One of Kullberg’s videos addresses how she paid off more than $225,000 in student loans in less than two years. Another is about her decision to quit a $250,000 job in corporate law.

“YouTube is by far the highest paying social media platform for me,” Kullberg told Entrepreneur.

In a video posted to her accounts on Thursday, and earlier on her website, Kullberg disclosed that she has two million subscribers on YouTube and her videos on the platform have received around 273 million views.

^{Erika Kullberg}

A 48-second YouTube video Kullberg uploaded in December 2022 that received 4.1 million views made her $106.85. A longer 12-minute YouTube video with fewer views (3.8 million) posted three years ago gave her a more substantial payout of $45,000 — for just one video.

Most of the money — $44,900 out of $45,000 — came from watch page ads.

Kullberg’s total earnings from YouTube for the last five years (before taxes and not including brand sponsorships) was more than $353,000.

@erikakullberg How much I get paid from social media ? The amounts are just what platforms pay and don’t include sponsorships, which is another way creators get paid! @Creators Agency ♬ original sound – Money Lawyer Erika

Other platforms pay less. The bulk of Kullberg’s following comes from TikTok, where she has 9.2 million followers and 542 million views. There, she has made $5,756 since she began posting two years ago.

Facebook has paid Kullberg nearly four times as much in the same time frame. She has a following of 4.5 million on the platform and made $20,251 over about two years.

“It’s actually not much extra work to monetize on different platforms,” Kullberg told Entrepreneur. “I’m using the same short videos and posting them across TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Instagram, and Facebook.”

Related: More People Are Exploring Entrepreneurship Because of This Unexpected Reason

Kullberg has 5.3 million followers on Instagram but makes $0 from the platform because Instagram doesn’t pay creators directly anymore.

Though Kullberg has now amassed a following, she shared that it took her about three months of posting one YouTube video per week to get monetized. Being a social media influencer is the dream job for Gen Z, with 57% stating in a recent report that they would be an influencer if given the chance.

Other generations want the fame and fortune that social media fame can bring, too — 41% of adults across all age groups said they wanted to be an “influencer” in the same report.

Related: Gen Z’s Main Career Aspiration Is to Be an Influencer, According to a New Report

A HypeAuditor income survey found that the average annual income for an influencer was $35,640.

Did OpenAI steal Scarlett Johansson’s voice? OpenAI has since paused the “Sky” voice feature, but Johansson argues that this is no coincidence. In response, Johansson delivers a masterclass for entrepreneurs on navigating the AI era successfully.

In today’s discussion, we delve into what this controversy means for business owners, highlighting five critical AI strategies they must deploy. We also explore essential methods to protect your intellectual property and leverage AI for a competitive edge—insights vital for keeping your venture ahead in the AI revolution to remain your competitive advantage.

Take the AI skills quiz here (available for a limited time) and equip yourself with practical knowledge by grabbing a copy of my new book, ‘The Wolf is at the Door – How to Survive and Thrive in an AI-Driven World.’

Summer is fast approaching. For some, summer provides the perfect excuse break routines and take a step back. Longer days and warmer weather can provide an all-too-convenient distraction from the things that matter most. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Adopting the following six healthy habits is a surefire way to guarantee your summer will be both productive and fun.

1. Make and keep commitments

For many, summer means that backyard barbeques, other celebrations and family travel are on the brain. It’s easy to get swept up in all the little joys that summer offers. Some of that is good, but if you don’t want to show up on Labor Day with nothing to show for your time, it’s important to be proactive and intentional with how you spend your time.

An adorable viral video of a baby saying they want to go to the Four Seasons Resort in Orlando, Florida, has won the internet’s heart this week — and even prompted a response from the business itself.

In the original clip, Stefanie O’Brien asks her two children and husband, “Who wants to go to the Four Seasons Orlando?” The baby, hand raised, then exclaims, “Me!”

@sobrizzle If the @Four Seasons Hotels ♬ original sound – Stefanie O’Brien

The video has amassed over 45.4 million views and is now the source of many memes online.

Related: 5 Customer Service Secrets You Can Learn From Five-Star Hotels

The TikTok, of course, made its way to the team at the Four Seasons Orlando, which is at Walt Disney World, who said that it’s been an “exciting, exciting week,” thanks to the viral sensation.

“Our team sprung into action…to partner with the family and see how we could further this and see what we could do with it moving forward,” Tyson Nales, assistant director of rooms at the Four Seasons Orlando told FOX 35. “There’s something here for all ages.”

The hotel cheekily made its own TikTok in response, announcing that the baby is now the official ambassador for the Four Seasons Orlando.

@fourseasons #Stitch with @Stefanie O’Brien Let the adventure begin @Stefanie O’Brien fam ?✨@FourSeasonsOrlando #LuxuryTravel #FamilyTravel #LoveFourSeasons ♬ original sound – Four Seasons Hotels

“I literally just booked you for my trip later this year because of this baby,” one user wrote.

“Give the baby the entire hotel,” another joked.

Related: 5 Ways to Travel the World and Work Remotely From 5-Star Hotels

Looks like this boss baby has a lifetime of luxury vacation stays ahead.

More people are starting businesses now than ever before — and the reason could be that the opportunity cost, or what they have to give up in exchange for entrepreneurship, is lower than ever.

Data that the U.S. Census Bureau released earlier this month shows that the total number of applications to start businesses hit a record 5.5 million last year.

That’s half a million more applications than what was filed in 2022.

Related: Here’s What Millions of Small Businesses Have in Common, According to a New Survey

Census Bureau data from the first four months of this year show that the startup boom is still going strong, too — from January through April, the number of new business applications totaled over 1.7 million.

Why are more people filing to start new businesses?

Columbia Business School professor Angela Lee told Entrepreneur that the reason could be the “unprecedented number of layoffs from big tech companies in the last several years, resulting in a large pool of talent freed up to pursue entrepreneurship.”

^{Columbia Business School professor Angela Lee (left) and Co-Founder of Plum Alley Investments Andrea Turner Moffitt (right). Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images)}

Lee, the director of the Eugene Lang Entrepreneurship Center, also noted that “entrepreneurship has historically been counter-cyclical because the opportunity cost to start a company goes down during a recession.”

Related: Want to Start a Billion-Dollar Business? Look to These Two Industries, Which Have the Most Unicorn Growth

Big tech companies have been laying off employees in record numbers in recent years.

Tech layoffs last year affected 263,180 employees globally according to tracker Layoffs.fyi.

Amazon laid off the most people (27,410) last year, but Meta (21,000), Google (12,115) and Microsoft (11,158) also contributed to record numbers.

The unemployment rate has remained stable, in the 3.7% to 3.9% range in the U.S. over the past nine months, according to the latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics jobs report.

Related: ‘The Employment Situation’ Report for April Shows Employers Are Taking Hiring Down a Notch, Employee Wage Growth Slowing

Like every entrepreneur, you likely aspire to drive profits in your service-based company. But how do you achieve this goal? The answer lies in scaling. It’s imperative to grasp the difference between growing and scaling your operations. While growing entails taking on more projects to increase revenue, scaling focuses on improving profits without a significant surge in resources. Essentially, scaling means working smarter, not just harder.

You’ve got to grab every chance to make more profit without burning yourself out. So, here are five practical strategies that many service providers miss out on when they’re trying to make their businesses bigger and better.

Related: I Exited My Company in Just 7 Years — Here’s 3 Things You Need to Do to Have a Successful Exit

1. Find your room to grow

To scale effectively, start by identifying areas within your business with untapped potential. Take a close look at what you’re already doing – your processes, the services you offer, and the audience you’re reaching. Look for niches where demand is high but competition is low, or explore opportunities to diversify your service offerings. For example, a digital marketing agency might expand into photography or influencer marketing to cater to evolving client needs.

Market research is key here. Talk to your clients to understand what they’re looking for. Check out what your competitors are doing and monitor what’s happening in the market. Once you’ve figured out where the opportunities are, you can start making changes to scale your business smartly.

Related: Key Financial Metrics Every Founder Should Know About

2. Listen to customer feedback

Listening to what your customers say can steer your business toward success. Make it a habit to ask for client feedback through surveys, online reviews, or direct conversations. Then, take the time to dive into that feedback to understand what your customers love, what they don’t, and what new trends are emerging.

Let’s look at an example: you run a software development company. You might discover a growing demand for mobile app development services by listening closely to your clients. With this knowledge, you can tailor your services to meet this demand, positioning yourself as a go-to provider in the industry.

Collecting customer feedback can also increase upselling and cross-selling success rates by 15% to 20%. Always make it a priority to listen to your customers—they just might hold the key to your business’s success.

3. Simplify your business with tech & automation

Using tech and automation can make your business smoother and save time. Surprisingly, over 90% of surveyed employees reported that automation solutions actually boosted their productivity, while 85% noted significant improvements in team collaboration. Moreover, nearly 90% expressed trust in automation tools to minimize errors and speed up decision-making processes.

First, figure out which tasks you’re repeating or where things get stuck. Then, explore project management tools like Monday.com or Asana. Investing in a CRM system such as Salesforce or HubSpot can centralize customer data, improve communication, and improve client relationships.

Modern payment platforms can do billing and invoicing automatically, so you don’t have to. By cutting down on these routine tasks, you’ll have more time to focus on improving your business.

Related: Busywork Sucks — How Automation Can Eliminate Boring Tasks for Entrepreneurs

4. Build strong networks and partnerships

In the service industry, teaming up with others can fuel your growth. Build relationships with businesses that complement yours, connect with peers in your industry, and seek out strategic partners. Attend networking events like Small Business Expo or IT industry events, join industry groups, and engage with online communities to expand your circle and discover collaboration opportunities.

If you’re running a web design company, you can team up with a digital marketing agency to give clients a full package of services, using each other’s strengths to get great results. By making friends and partnerships, you’ll open up new opportunities and make your business even better.

Related: Turn Your Startup into a Powerhouse With These 6 Financial Growth Hacks

5. Upgrade your marketing and branding

To really stand out from the crowd, it’s not enough just to have a good marketing plan—you need to keep tweaking and improving it all the time. One way to strengthen it is through SEO and content marketing; don’t only focus on paid ads.

Did you know that nearly half of all clicks on search engines come from organic searches? That means people are more likely to trust the results they find naturally rather than those paid for. So, if you use SEO effectively, you can get more visitors to your website.

Crucially, your strategy must be rooted in data. By meticulously analyzing metrics such as website traffic, conversion rates, and customer engagement, you can glean invaluable insights into what initiatives are giving results and where improvements are needed.

Equally significant is the need to refresh your messaging and brand identity. As people’s preferences change and the market moves around, you must ensure your brand still fits in with what your customers like. Talk to your customers, see what they think, and keep an eye on what’s going on in your industry. By giving your brand a fresh look and message, you can keep customers interested and stand out from the crowd of competitors.